Special Report: Living in Denial (New Scientist)

[swag]

http://www.newscientist.com/special/living-in-denial

From climate change to vaccines, evolution to flu, denialists are on the march. Why are so many people refusing to accept what the evidence is telling them?

In this special feature we look at the phenomenon in depth. What is denial? What attracts people to it? How does it start, and how does it spread? And finally, how should we respond to it?

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When a sceptic isn't a sceptic

There are clear lines between scepticism and denial, but telling them apart can be tricky in the real world, says Michael Shermer. Read more

. . . loads of links. Worth a click-thru.

[mbperrin]

1. Because if there is a real problem, people would have to do something,

and so many are overwhelmed just making an ordinary living that they literally cannot afford to take on more.

Hence, denial is attractive.

[Skittles]

2. this author knows

[JeffersonChick]

3. Thanks so much for that link!

Really good stuff there. Explains a whole lot about "the other side", LOL

[Scuba]

4. It's much easier to believe 'we're good, they're evil' ....

... than to actually examine the facts and develop an informed opinion.

[Enthusiast]

6. And the sheer volumes of

misinformation out there makes that informed opinion ever more difficult. And the M$M promotes certain positions like 'global warming is a hoax', at least on some news outlets like Fox. Those that 'want' to believe that global warming is a hoax are greeted with a mountain of 'evidence' to support their position. Same with creationism and other 'isms'.

[elocs]

5. A healthy skepticism is the beginning of wisdom, but the fool believes all, or disbelieves all. n/t